Happy “Guantanamo Is Finally Closed” Day

Wasn’t this the day the Obama administration promised it would be closed?

Well, well.

And what else?

The Obama administration has decided to continue to imprison without trials nearly 50 detainees at the Guantánamo Bay military prison in Cuba because a high-level task force has concluded that they are too difficult to prosecute but too dangerous to release, an administration official said on Thursday.

So the Obama administration has essentially agreed with the Bush administration about holding certain detainees without a trial and the “symbol of American shame” remains open in order to do that?

Oh he’s not reneging due to reason. He’s doing so because he can’t figure out an alternative that is feasible and won’t subject him to ridicule. His promise was based in ignorance, and just as he’s suddenly admitted he overestimated his ability to have an impact on the Israeli/Palestinian problem, Guantanamo was a promise made in a similar state of ignorance. What he’ll try to do now is simply ignore it and the promise.